My Visual Travel Experience: Siem Reap, Cambodia

In early 2015, when my son was barely 6 months old, he had his first exposure to international travel. My wife and I took him to visit my sister in law's family in Macau. The trip was almost four weeks long. My wife was more than happy just spending time with her sister's family in Macau, but I went out and did some solo travels around China and Cambodia. One of the places I visited was Siem Reap, because I had always been very keen on visiting the famous Angkor Wat Temple. I spent four hectic days in Siem Reap. Angkor Wat was certainly the highlight of the visit, but the town offered so much more that kept me on my feet. I stayed at Royal Crown Hotel and Spa, a comfortable and reasonably priced hotel in the centre of town, just minutes away from the Old Market and Pub Street. I booked a cab for the duration of my stay, because distances were long to places like the temples of Angkor.

Siem Reap, a town having a population of around 175,000, is a gateway to the world famous temples of Angkor. It is a very popular tourist town due to its proximity to these temples. Siem Reap was little more than a village until the French re-discovered the temples in the 19th century. Today it is a bustling town, with great infrastructure to cater to the huge number of tourists who flock to see the temples - the town has an impressive range of hotels, restaurants, pubs, massage parlours, shopping options and other attractions, and the economy is centred around tourism.

Angkor was the capital of the Khmer Kingdom and it was a prosperous kingdom from the 9th century AD to the 15th century AD.  Jayavarman II declared himself the “god king” in the 9th century, and for the next 5 centuries, the dynasty ruled and the region flourished under them.  In 1351, Angkor fell to Ayutthaya, and a rebellion against Ayutthaya in 1431  eventually led to the city being abandoned. Natural calamities like diseases and earthquakes are supposed to have aided the abandoning of this once flourishing city. The 20th century saw a lot of restoration work, and today, some of the temples have regained a lot of their old glory, and Angkor Wat in particular is one of the world’s best known attractions!

Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument in the world. It was built by the Khmer king Suryavarman II in the 12th century AD, and later completed by Jayavarman VII. It was originally a Hindu temple, dedicated to Vishnu.  However, later on, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple. The temple is surrounded by a moat and an outer wall that has a perimeter of 3.6 km. The temple has a central tower surrounded by four smaller towers. It has several long galleries with bas reliefs depicting scenes from Hindu mythological epics. Angkor Wat has become a symbol of Cambodia, and is a part of the national flag. In 1992, it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Distant view of Angkor Wat

Close-up view of Angkor Wat

Standing Buddha at the Central Tower, Angkor Wat

Bas reliefs of Apsaras, Angkor Wat

Paintings being sold outside Angkor Wat

Angkor Thom is a temple complex established by King Jayavarman VII in the 12th century AD. It covers an area of 9 sq km, and is famous for the Bayon, with its numerous Enchanting Faces. During its hey days, it is supposed to have supported a population of close to 100,000 and was a city by itself.  It was abandoned in the 17th century.

Enchanting Faces at the Bayon, Angkor Thom

Figures leading up to the main gate, Angkor Thom

Baphuon Royal Palace, Angkor Thom

Ta Prohm dates back to the 12th century AD. It was founded by King Jayavarman VII as a Buddhist monastery and university.  The complex is largely in ruins, and is famous for trees growing out of the ruins. In 1992, it was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple was abandoned for centuries after the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 17th century. Some restoration work has taken place in the 21st century.

West Gate, Ta Prohm

Crocodile Tree, Ta Prohm

Lara Croft Tree, Ta Prohm

Waterfall Tree, Ta Prohm

Banteay Kdei was built in the 13th century AD during the reign of Jayavarman VII. The temple is built in the Bayon architectural style and has three enclosures.

Main Gate, Banteay Kdei

Prasat Kravan dates back to the 10th century AD. It is a small temple, with five reddish brick towers.  The temple has several bas reliefs in along the inner walls of the central tower, depicting Lord Vishnu.

Prasat Kravan

Phnom Bakheng is a temple in the form of a temple mountain. It was built in the 9th century AD, in the reign of Yasovarman. It is up on a hill, and is popular for its sunset views.

Elephants at Phnom Bakheng

Pre Rup is a temple built in the 10th century AD as the state temple of Khmer King Rajendravarman. The temple has three prasats (towers) and to get to it, one has to climb up a flight of stairs.

Pre Rup

Preah Khan was built in the 12th century AD by King Jayavarman VII to honour his father. Similar to Ta Prohm, the temple has a lot of trees growing from under the ruins.

Preah Khan

Preah Neak Pean is a temple on an artificial circular island in the middle of a lake. It was built in the reign of King Jayavarman VII. A long causeway leads up to the temple. It was originally built as a hospital.

Preah Neak Pean

East Mebon was built in the 10th century AD under the reign of KingRajendravarman. It was dedicated to Lord Shiva.

East Mebon

Srah Srang is a reservoir dug in the 10th century AD and modified in the 12th century AD. It measures 700 meters by 350 meters. The steps that go to the water have two guardian lions on them.

Srah Srang

Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor is a grand heritage hotel in Siem Reap, that opened in 1932. The hotel faces the Royal Independent Gardens, and is a treasure trove of works of art.  Ya Tep Shrine is a popular shrine close to the Royal Independent Gardens and the Royal Residence.

Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor

Buddha Statues, Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor

Ta Yep Shrine

Old Market lies in the heart of Siem Reap, and is a great place to buy traditional Khmer goods and souvenirs. The place is very popular with locals and tourists both by day and by night, and is has a lot of food stalls as well. Pub Street is a lively street in the heart of town close to Old Market, and has numerous pubs and Europeans restaurants, catering largely to tourists. There are also many massage parlours around. The entire area has a very lively and vibrant feel to it.

Old Market by night

Masks, Old Market

Angkor National Museum is an archeological museum with Cambodian artifacts, opened in 2007. It has galleries that include the Gallery of 1,000 Buddhas (with its numerous beautiful Buddha statues), as well as galleries dedicated to Khmer Civilization, Great Khmer Kings, Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Ancient Costumes.

Angkor National Museum

Wat Preah Promrath is a temple that is prominently located, not far from the town centre. It was founded in the 14th century. The temple’s highlights include a large reclining Buddha, as well as a courtyard where all four sides have detailed paintings from the life of the Buddha.

Wat Preah Promrath

Cambodian Cultural Village has a recreation of Cambodian architecture and culture, through recreation of typical Cambodian buildings, as well as cultural performances.

Big Theater, Cambodian Cultural Village

Mini Theater, Cambodian Cultural Village

Model of City Palace and Silver Pagoda,
Cambodian Cultural Village 

King Jayavarman VII,
Cambodian Cultural Village

Apsara, Cambodian Cultural Village

Tonle Sap consists of a large fresh water lake and the 120 km long river leading up to it. A huge rural agrarian population supports its livelihood in this ecosystem. Fishermen live in floating villages in the lake, and there are floating schools and floating hospitals that one can get to see.

Boats, Tonle Sap

Crocodiles, Tonle Sap

Souvenirs, Floating Market, Tonle Sap

Phew! I came to Siem Reap expecting to see Angkor Wat, plus whatever else the town had to offer. I never knew how much there was to see and do, and I was on my toes for the full duration of my stay! Getting to Cambodia wasn't an easy journey. I had to go from Macau to Hong Kong, then fly to Ho Chi Minh City, change flights there, and then fly into Cambodia. But my one week in Cambodia, consisting of three days in Phnom Penh and four days in Siem Reap, was truly worth the effort.